What is your biggest regret on your build? What is your biggest achievement?

[Jonathonar89]

Thought I would make a fun discussion we could all participate in. I'll start....


What is your biggest regret?

-I would say my biggest regret would easily be taking apart my '79 Trans Am when I was young and not thinking/understanding the money needed to put it back together. When I was in college, I thought money would come and everything would fall into place but life simply just got in the way. Boy was I wrong haha! College, career start, girlfriend, wife, kid, first home, second home, paying off debt, etc.

What is your biggest achievement?

-Biggest success for me has been being able to keep my project car. Yes, it's not done and going to be 10 years since I drove it last but at this point, I'm just happy I've been able to keep it after all the years. My goal now is basically to get it going again in a relatively normal configuration and do minor upgrades. When I was young, I wanted the tubbed out car with crazy power and huge wheels but these days, I just want to almost restore the thing and keep it simple.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2021/03/51010683663_a2030da471_z-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kHD64V)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2kHD64V) by Jonathon Randolph (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156619454@N04/), on Flickr

[slimjim]

I have a few regrets, but I am hoping that in the end they become my achievements.

RAGRETS

- I regret buying the "cheaper" of projects when I begun, not properly identifying just how much rust car had, paired with not properly vetting the shop who then underwent the initial rust repair.
- I somewhat resent going the way of 5th gen interior, partly our of concern it could time-stamp the build, but also because of the delay and hurdles it caused, which slowed the build.
- At times prioritizing car expenses over wiser investments/buying opportunities.

Achievements

- Skills learned during this build are lifelong and I will be proud to take them onto future projects.
- Learning how to do body work!!
- I own a first gen Camaro that is built for me!

[Tsaints1115]

Learned from my first car that it's better to spend more $ up front on a nicer car (especially if it's not the most supported) than to end up spending 10 x $ fixing it up after the purchase on a less than nice one.

[aaroncorvette]

Regrets -

Buying Chi-com parts (Which i now steer clear of!)

Achievements -


Owning both a modded '69 Camaro and a '69 Vette that i wouldn't have been able to afford had my Dad and i not worked together to build/fix them.

[Vimes]

Regrets - picking a truck that has zero aftermarket support, requiring me to depend upon custom solutions requiring skills beyond my own. This means I was not able to complete my project before my dad passed away. We talked for hours about it over the last couple of years, and I wish I could have finished it before he died.

Achievements - There was a benefit to the regret - I've been putting money aside for the project the whole time it was sitting in the driveway waiting for a shop slot, and I likely have enough to complete it. And when it's done, I'll have a truck that's built for me, just me, and nobody else but me.

[Richard454]

Biggest regrets-

As others have said- not buying the 'good' stuff first. Thinking a cheaper AN fitting would work fine- till it leaks...
Trying to rush parts of the build- then going back and redoing it. Takes at least twice as long!!!
Having a few failures during the build- and the wasted time to get re-motivated

Biggest achievements-

It's been my car since I was senior in High School (40 years)-even held onto it through a divorce- but lost the house!!!
No real parts for my drivetrain- so I had to build it all from scratch. Learned a lot doing that.
Driving it around the block for the first time after 20 years


When I bought it- January 1981
191606

Stripped down 10-11 years ago
191607

Current - almost there!!!

191608

First drive-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePeohGMLGyw

[cdrod]

I have two significant regrets in building my Olds 442 convertible project. I regret not waiting for a car in better condition. I jumped on one for sale that I would have been better off passing up, only to discover the rust was significant (even the bucket seats looked like swiss cheese). I'm now nearly 9 years into a resto-mod build that I thought would take 4-5 years. The up-side to this regret is the many parts that were simply un-usable became opportunities to discover alternative parts that have made the car better. For example, the rusty seats made me to research alternatives and lead to e46 BMW convertible seats which have an integral shoulder seat belt: much safer in a convertible.

The second regret comes from knowledge I gained too late to incorporate into my build. My car is a convertible which can have significant body flex. I didn't realize there were kits to reinforce the frame. With modern wheels and grippy tires I'm sure the body flex will be noticeable. Here are some pics.

Rodney

191613
This is how she looked when I found her!

191611
BMW e46 convertible seats

191612
How she looks today!

[Interceptor5588]

My biggest regret is selling off various parts of the GTO to raise money for new stuff. Some of it is now practically irreplaceable, if I ever choose to go back to a restoration.

[absintheisfun]

Regrets:
Few. I would say that I wish it was done, or that it hadn't taken as long as it has. Going on 12 years, but if I stay the course and money stays steady, should be wrapping up the final details this fall or winter.

Achievements:
Well, all of it. I got the car when I was 17 and now that I'm closing in on 45, I've not only kept it, but improved it. This car literally changed my life. I was working in a high stress job and for my wife had it towed from my father's barn where it had sat since I went into the marine corps. It was delivered about 6 months after we bought our first house. She gave me the garage and said play. It sat for several years until I got bit by the resto bug and started tearing it apart. HAD NO CLUE what I was doing, but was having fun. After a year and a whole lot of failure (but fun) I decided it was time for a change. I had a mid-life career change and became a mechanic. I was just happiest when turning wrenches. Learned everything as I went.
Did all the bodywork-except quarters (but body shop botched them, so I redid them myself). Learned how to paint. Learned everything, tried everything myself, asking tons of questions and watched lots of YouTube.

How it started:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/05/01StartingPoint-1.jpg

How it's going:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2021/08/51412584275_bc11b0df4c_k-1.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mk9W7P)

Can't wait to drive it.

[HotRod47]

Regrets:
Changing direction mid build and wasting time and money buying what amounts to the same parts twice!
Not realizing how far I was going to go with the build when I started. I would have done things better/different had I known.

Achievements:
Building a car virtually by myself in my back yard garage minus interior and transmission build.
Building what amounted to a fantastic driving car that never gave me a single issue from the first start up.
At its first ever show, the Boston World of Wheels winning 5 awards including the Master Builder Award for the best owner built car in the show.
Two magazine features.
Being accepted into and showing that the 2019 Detroit Autorama. A HUGE bucket list event to be able to show there. Then winning 1st in class, and 1 of 4 Outstanding Paint awards for the car I did all the body and paint on.

[jp455]

Biggest regrets-

As others have said- not buying the 'good' stuff first. Thinking a cheaper AN fitting would work fine- till it leaks...
Trying to rush parts of the build- then going back and redoing it. Takes at least twice as long!!!
Having a few failures during the build- and the wasted time to get re-motivated

Biggest achievements-

It's been my car since I was senior in High School (40 years)-even held onto it through a divorce- but lost the house!!!
No real parts for my drivetrain- so I had to build it all from scratch. Learned a lot doing that.
Driving it around the block for the first time after 20 years


When I bought it- January 1981
191606

Stripped down 10-11 years ago
191607

Current - almost there!!!

191608

First drive-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePeohGMLGyw

Fantastic build!!

[67-LS1]

I wish I:
Had boxed my frame before having it powder coated.
Not added disc brakes to the rear.
Could find a source for rubber bushings to replace the poly in my Hotchkis suspension.
Not bought Procar seats.
Had gone with an H pipe instead of a Y pipe.
Had bought a Lee power steering box instead of a Jeep Grand Cherokee steering box.

[Interceptor5588]

Regret: Selling off original parts to help pay for the build. I'll never find some of them again.

Achievement: its built, not bought, by a guy with no special trade or training. With parts that are mostly OEM so that it can be driven cross-country and get parts anywhere if it breaks. Very little aftermarket crap that needs to be ordered on a slow boat from overseas. And overall the car looks like GM could have built it -- all factory -looking stuff.

[srode]

Regret not ordering parts sooner, lead time on parts is crazy.

[drummerdad]

Regret- ordering a cheap mustang 2 from a vendor without doing all the research first.

Accomplishment- the c-notch. I am quite proud of it, and look forward to seeing the frame completed. I am pulling the truck back apart to fix the IFS, but itll be good to fix all the nagging details I should have addressed before.

[J-440]

[/ATTACH]192147192148192149Regrets- Thinking that in my 20’s this was going to be a 4-5 year project. It’s now 22 years and she’s running great but as usual, they’re never finished.
Buying a ladder bar rear suspension and not saving for a 4 link.
Jumping the gun on a FAST EFI setup and not waiting for the Holley Sniper. Although this was 12 years ago and I think the Sniper hadn’t been invented yet.

Flip side- Its my dream car that I craved since I was 8 years old.
Car is paid for with only OT money and side job cash. Nothing on credit…which is why it’s taken me 22 years. ��

[Zachalanche]

Regret: spending a decade turning my slow Mach 1 that I loved to drive into a impractical track car that I never drive because I no longer live anywhere near a track.....and because I'm sorting out a gear whine that makes street diving unbearable.....so maybe things will improve here. Its kind of a bummer when people ask if i am excited to have my car back on the road, and all I can think is - Yeah, I hate it. But honestly, right now, I enjoy driving my 67 fairlane more despite its terrible paint job, and terrible performance.

Achievement: Finishing (aside from working out the bugs) the project I referenced above. there was a point when the car was on the rotisserie where I thought I would never get it done. for the most part I built the car that I set out to build, I learned a lot and never gave up. I'll keep sorting things out until it's the one that I want to drive.

[Kuhlhaus]

The benefit of hindsight can't be overstated!

Thanks for sharing.

[79 Camaro]

Regrets. Wished I still had my 67 Nova I mini tubbed in my shop. Totally rust free no hit car.
Biggest achievement. Using my hot rod builds to reduce job stress. I had a fairly high stress sales job and when I stepped into the shop work went away. And my wife was very happy with that.
I did have a few cars shot for features in Car Craft and Chevy High Performance. That was fun. Jeff Smith, Doug Glad and John McGann are very cool.
Just FYI Jeff Smith is moving or has moved backed to Iowa. I hope he knows Iowa has winters!

[GB68]

Regrets is keeping at least one of the few cool muscle cars that were running and original instead of holding onto a basket case 67 138 car for 10 years. The 73 camaro LT was a Z28 in disguise bought in 87 for about a year, drove and the 71 Chevelle SS/350 drove home only to part it out(circa 1983).

Achievement is building a one of a kind 68 camaro with an 04GTO interior/firewall/dash/5.7/6-speed and all the wiring controls, 4 years since tear down next month and maybe 6 months left.